Imagine the Wrigleyville neighborhood without Wrigley Field. Now, imagine it with a new and improved Wrigley: Billboards in right field, a 6,000-foot jumbtron in left field, advertising on a nearby hotel and above the proposed clocktower. The plan would update the interior of the park, expand its bathrooms and improve player areas.

The price tag? $500 million.

The rooftop owners and the rest of us are getting our first glimpse of the controversial 6,000 square-foot scoreboard in left field that would generate millions for the team. Millions, Ricketts claims, that could be used to pay for a stronger lineup. Without the advertising, he says, he can’t deliver.

“We can’t go forward and consider Wrigley economically viable if we don’t have control of what we do in the outfield. It’s just too important to the team and the resources the team needs to compete,” Rickets said.

“One of the reasons we had the framework was there is now certainty around what they needed. There will be a jumbotron in left field. There will be signage in right field,” said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

Beth Murphy of Murphy’s Bleachers says she just wants a seat at the table as plans are firming up. Her neighborhood without Wrigley Field? “I don’t think a new ballpark in a parking lot is interesting, and that’s why other ballparks don’t have the tourism that Wrigley Field does,” she said.

The timing of all of this? No deadline for the proposal yet, but once approved — if approved — it will take five consecutive off-seasons to complete.

Here are renderings of the most recently proposed Wrigley Field renovations:

14 comments

Why do the bar owners and rooftop folks think they have any say in what the Ricketts family wants to do to Wrigley? If the revenue generated gets top tier ball players and the Cubbies can compete, I say go for it. Living down in Central Illinois, I would love to stay at that new hotel when we travel up for games.

Joe Public

Grump1

I agree just move. I am a Cubs fan and actually wanted the sox not to move to St. Pete back in the day. We were blackmailed then and are still paying for that park. Let Ricketts go. See how much the cubbies would be worth in LA or Phoenix. Nothing without Wrigleyville!

Shanna

Shanna

Larry Sellers

Probitas

Let them go to Schaumburg. The Ricketts are just a bunch of trust funders whose only work experience is throwing a tantrum when they don’t get their way. They knew what they bought when they bought it. If they think they made a bad deal, they can go ahead and cut their losses and leave. Good riddance.

Jim K

Auntie Voo

Move the Cubs to Rosemont. It would be more accessible with better parking facilities, not to mention a more state of the art park. The Cub faithful will follow and moving will draw even more fans that do not want to travel into the city. GO CUBS GO!!